I am going to library today, if I can slip past Tacoma.
I slide my eyes over to where he sits dozing on the couch right beside me.
I take a deep breath and slowly start to ease myself quietly off the couch.
I keep a nervous eye on Tacoma's bulk sprawled on the couch.

I make it out of the living room to the hallway where my stuff is sitting.
I slip on my turquoise leather jacket and Converses. I grab my phone and my purse and leave a note for Mom.
I slip out the front door and cringe when it clicks shut.

I skip off the front steps and turn the corner.
I'm finally out from under the smothering cover of Tacoma's overprotectiveness!
I breath in the crisp winter air and twirl around.

I had maybe, sort of, gone and had a coffee by myself the other day.
Mason had found me walking toward home in near darkness. He gave me a ride home, but unfortunately, Tacoma was the only one at home. He about came unglued when I had walked up, after saying goodbye to Mason.

"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" He'd shouted.
I looked back at Mason's truck. Maybe I deserved it, but I didn't really want to get verbally flayed. Not in front of Mason anyways.
He was still waiting at the curb, and he'd probably give me a lift to my aunt's place if I asked.

I'm not getting Mason into all this.
I braced my shoulders and plastered a cheerful smile on my face. I waved at Mason's truck, and stepped inside.
Tacoma came in right after me and pointed toward the living room.
"In. There." He growled through gritted teeth.

I felt my own temper flair, but I went into the living room. I settled down on the couch and waited for the lightning to strike.
Tacoma entered the living room and braced his arms on the mantle piece, his back was to me.
"How-" his voice cracked.
"How do you think I'm s'posted to deal with this! I can't get to you if something bad happens if I don't know where you even are! YOU'RE SCARING ME! I CANNOT HANDLE IT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU!"
His voice grew harsh.
"I know that you think you can just do whatever and it won't effect anyone, but that's not true!"

I started to my feet.
"Tacoma Tau! I'm not just going crazy and doing stupid stuff all the time! I had one coffee by myself and then you magically decide that I'm not being considerate."

"Think about what could have happened! You could have been kidnaped! If Mason wasn't a decent boy, he could have done bad stuff to you!"

THAT'S IT!
"Well reality check Tacoma, but I'm not a little kid anymore. I can make decisions myself! If that means I want to get a coffee by myself, then I'll get a coffee by myself.  YOU LEAVE MASON OUT OF THIS!"

"THEN ACT LIKE A GROWN PERSON! WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU? WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO MASON?"
I felt a smarting rush of tears try to escape my eyes.
"Tacoma....."

He whirled around and looked at me.
"I can't lose.....you too. Not you and Rylee both...."
His voice cracked for the last time and his shoulders began to heave. I'd realized with a rush of horror that I had pushed him over the edge and farther.
"Tacoma...I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'll try harder I promise."
I laid my hand in his and he closed his hand around mine. We sat together like that until we both fell asleep.

                        ***

I shake myself out of my reverie, and dial my mom's number. The line crackles and then I hear my mother's voice.
"Hey Sweetie!"

"Hi Mom!"
"Is everything ok down there?" She asks, worry tinging the edges of her voice.
"Yes, I was just going to tell you that I'm heading to the library."
"Alone?" She sounds even more worried.
"Yes, alone. Tacoma is asleep and I want some time to myself."

"Alright, but you keep your phone on you!"
"Deal."
I start walking down the street, to the library. It's only about a block down so it doesn't take me very long to reach it.
As soon as I get there, I text Tacoma.

Me- I'm at the library if you need me. Don't worry, I called Mom before I left. She knows where I am.

I pocket my phone and skip up the stairs to the giant doors of the library.
Once inside I slowly walk around, and just browse for the fun of it. I grab three random books off the shelf, and sit down in a little reading nook that I discovered when we moved here.
I ease the covers of the book open and within seconds I'm sucked into an imaginary world.

                       ***

I see Tacoma and Mason walk into the library out of the corner of my eye. I scrunch a little further back into my corner, and then go back to reading.
I am just getting back into my story when I feel Mason flop down on the cushion beside me.

"What book?"
I hold the book up and then go back to reading.
"Go away Mason."
"Why?"
"I'm trying to read. Now go away before Tacoma finds me!"
I feel a second bulk plop down on the cushion.
"Too late." Tacoma says.

I huff and then get up and check out my books. I can see Mason and Tacoma trailing me out of the corner of my eye.
I contemplate trying to run around the neighborhood and get us lost.

Nah.
Tacoma would kill me.
I finally decide to go to The Drink.co, and read my books there. With a white mocha.
It's about four blocks from the library to The Drink.co, and I can hear the familiar growl of Mason's 22/R the entire walk. Once at the coffee bar, I buy my mocha and sit down at my favorite spot in the a corner of the cafe. I have only been reading for fifteen minutes when I feel someone watching me.

I quickly look around the room. There's a guy listening to something in his earbuds,
a lady on her laptop, the employees making coffee, an elderly man dosing in a sunny corner, and one Keiran O'Veer looking at me over his steepled fingers.

I snap my head back to my book and try to pretend that I didn't see him. It's too late. As soon as I looked his way he started to move to my table. He sits down right across me.
"Hi."
I quickly send a mental SOS to Mason and Tacoma. Giving an involuntary sigh I say,
"Hi Keiran."

"How come we never talk anymore? You just spend all your time with Mason."
"We didn't talk before Mason moved here."
"You don't answer my texts anymore."
Wait... I have his number?
I pull my phone out of my pocket. Kieran's name isn't on my immediate list of contacts, so I search it.
I cringe.
987 missed texts!

"Wow. Sorry."
"Are you free on Saturday?"
Will he ever give up?
"Umm, no."
"What are you doing?"
"Is that really any of your business?"
Yikes. That sounded rude.
"It's my business if it means I don't get to spend time with you."
Ok. Hear goes nothing. Hopefully he will take a hint this time.

"Keiran. I'm going on a date with my girls on Saturday. I. Don't. Want. A. Relationship. With. You."
He gasps and I cringe inwardly.
"Look. I'm sorry, but I don't want to be more than friends. Goodbye Keiran."
I grab my books and my mocha and walk out of the coffee bar.